Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham
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Charles Middleton, 1st Baron Barham (October 14, 1726 – June 17, 1813) was a British sailor and politician.
[edit] Naval career
Born in Leith, Scotland, Middleton entered the Royal Navy at a young age and became Lieutenant in 1745. In 1758, he was promoted Post-Captain, and three years later distinguished himself in the West Indies while in command of HMS Emerald. He was appointed Comptroller of the Navy in 1778, a post he held for twelve years, and in 1781 was created a baronet, with a special remainder, failing his male issue, to his son in law.
In 1784, Sir Charles Middleton was elected Tory Member of Parliament for Rochester, a seat he held for six years, and three years later was promoted Rear Admiral. By 1793 a Vice Admiral, he was the following year made a Lord of the Admiralty, and in 1795 became Admiral of the Blue. He was finally, in 1805, appointed First Lord of the Admiralty, and was created Baron Barham, of Barham Court and Teston in the County of Kent, with a special remainder, failing his male issue, to his only daughter and her heirs male.
In September 1805, Lord Barham attained the rank of Admiral of the Red. He died eight years later aged 86 at his home of Barham Court.
Four ships of the Royal Navy were named HMS Barham after him.
[edit] Abolitionism
In addition to his role in the Royal Navy, Sir Charles Middleton played a crucial role in the abolition of the slave trade in the British Empire. Middleton was influenced by a pamphlet written by Rev. James Ramsay, who served as a surgeon under Middleton but later took holy orders and served in the West Indies, where he was exposed to the slave trade. Ramsay's pamphlet was on the evils of the slave trade and especially affected Middleton's wife. Not feeling up to taking on the slave trade himself in Parliament, he suggested to William Wilberforce that he take up the issue. (Whether or not this was the first time that the issue had been suggested to Wilberforce or not is debatable).
Middleton played more of a direct role with Thomas Clarkson's efforts in regards to the slave trade. Clarkson worked alongside with Wilberforce and others after having written an essay for a contest at Cambridge University on the slave trade. Clarkson first made public his desire to spend his life fighting for emancipation at Middleton's house at Teston, Kent. In order to make a case for abolishing the slave trade, Clarkson did much research and interviewed thousands of sailors who had exposure to the slave trade. None of this would have been possible if Middleton had not given Clarkson the permission needed to gain access to the Royal Navy shipyards.
Furthermore, Clarkson, Wilberforce, and others used Barham Court for strategy sessions before presenting legislation to Parliament.
While Middleton never played a direct role in the effort to abolish the slave trade (accomplished 1807) and slavery itself (1833) by talking out about it whilst an MP, he played a very important part as a behind the scenes facilitator.
Middleton's efforts were motivated by his evangelical faith. Middleton the Christian was evident not only in these efforts, but also in his time as a captain at sea and later as Comptroller and a Lord of the Admiralty. Whilst a captain, he did everything possible to make sure that his sailors had good conditions on board and that Christian services were held on a weekly basis, even whilst in pursuit of an enemy!
[edit] References
- Colquhoun, John Campbell. William Wilberforce: His Friends and His Times (London: Longmans, Green, Reader and Dyer, 1866).
- Laughton, J.K. Middleton, Charles, First Baron Barham from Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford: University Press, 1894).
- Moody, Michael E. Religion in the Life of Charles Middleton, First Baron Barham. In 'The Dissenting Tradition: Essays for Leland H. Carlson' ed. Cole, C. Robert and Moody, Michael E. (Athens: Ohio University Press, 1975). ISBN 8214-0174-9.
- Talbott, John E. The Pen and Ink Sailor: Charles Middleton and the King's Navy, 1778-1813 (London: Routledge, 1998).
- Pollock, John. Wilberforce: God’s Statesman. (Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications, 2001). ISBN 0-85476-907-2.
| Preceded by: The Viscount Melville |
First Lord of the Admiralty 1805–1806 |
Succeeded by: Viscount Howick |
| Preceded by: New Creation |
Baron Barham | Succeeded by: Diana Middleton |
